On the occasion of the 105th anniversary of the Intellectual Property Office, and with the aim of promoting the importance of intellectual property protection for the development of the modern economy and society, a competition for the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Awards was held from September 2 to October 10, 2025 in four competition categories:
- Inventor or group of inventors for patent (WIPO National Award for Inventors).
- Legal entities for the commercial application of industrial property (WIPO National Award for Enterprises).
- Author of the monographic work /study exhibition in the field of social sciences and humanities (National Award for Creativity).
- A student or group of secondary school students for an invention (WIPO National Award for Schoolchildren).
Criteria for awarding prizes in the first category of the competition:
- Whether it is a domestic inventor or a group of inventors.
- That patent protection has been achieved.
- That patent is valid.
- That the patent has market potential or concrete practical applications and proven success on the market, as well as a letter of support from a potential patent user.
- That the benefits for the economy and society from patents can be seen through increased employment, exports, productivity, energy efficiency, environmental protection and improved quality of life with a special focus on 2025.
Criteria for awarding prizes in the second category of the competition:
– Whether it is a domestic legal entity or a domestic entrepreneur.
– That the legal entity or the entrepreneur has obtained industrial property protection in the last five years through a patent and/or industrial design and/or trademark and/or topography of a semiconductor product and/or is an authorized user of an indication of geographical origin.
– Those economic activities, such as launching new products/processes, investing in development and/or research, new employment, increased exports, increased productivity, increased energy efficiency, environmental protection or improved quality of life are associated with registered industrial property rights.
Criteria for awarding prizes in the third category of the competition:
- That it is an individually written or critically edited monograph by a domestic author that was published, or accepted for publication , between September 1, 2024 and September 1, 2025, with at least one review in print and that it is distinguished by theoretical depth, erudition and critical understanding of the problem it deals with, or a studio exhibition with a catalog, with at least one review in print, that deals in depth and uniquely with the history of science and culture or social meanings of technology.
Criteria for awarding prizes in the fourth category of the competition:
- That is about an invention by a local student or a local group of high school students who contributes to environmental protection, energy efficiency or improving the quality of life.
The winners for the first category were decided by a committee consisting of:
- Eng, Vladimir Nikić, innovation manager and business consultant – chairman of the commission;
- Danica Mićanović, expert in innovation and knowledge transfer and coordinator for the area of intellectual property at the Serbian Chamber of Commerce;
- Nataša Milovanović, Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, General Engineering and Electrical Engineering at the Intellectual Property Office.
The winners of the second category were decided by a committee consisting of:
- Sanja Popović Pantić, President of the Association of Business Women of Serbia, Advisor to the European Entrepreneurship Network and Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Research and Development of the Science and Technology at the Mihajlo Pupin Institute – President of the Commission ;
- Miloš Milošević, B.Sc., Mechanical engineering, Scientific Advisor of the Innovation Center of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Belgrade;
- Aleksandra Mihailović, Asst.Director at the Intellectual Property Office.
The winners for the third category were decided by a committee consisting of:
- Aleksandar Popović, full professor of the Cultural Anthropology at the Faculty of Philology, University of Belgrade – chairman of the commission,
- Dr. Jelena Ćeranić Perišić, Director of the Institute of Comparative Law in Belgrade,
- Biljana Jovičić, Head of the Department for Registers at the Intellectual Property Office.
The fourth category of the competition was decided by a committee consisting of:
– Aleksandar Milićević, Director of the Regional Chamber of Commerce in Nis – Chairman of the Commission,
– Nikola Srzentić, director of the Regional Talent Center,
– Dr. Nataša Milojević, advisor at the Intellectual Property Office.
The WIPO National Award for Inventors, in the category for an inventor or group of inventors for a patent that is of importance and has a specific application and proven success in the market went to Dr. Nedeljko Milosavljević, Dr. Melinda Kalagasidis Kruščić and Dr. Marija Lučić Škorić, who obtained patent protection number 65938 for the invention entitled “Dye catcher and method of producing dye catcher”. In addition to protection by a national patent, the above-mentioned invention is protected in Montenegro, Croatia, Spain, the UK, the USA, as well as the territory of 18 countries that have joined the unitary patent system. The invention entitled “Color catcher and method of producing color catcher” has clear market potential, both in households and in the wastewater treatment industry, which contributes to environmental protection and the concept of sustainable development. Namely, environmental protection is achieved by applying a proprietary technology that prevents synthetic dyes from entering waterways, uses fully biodegradable materials and enables production without petrochemical compounds at low temperatures. All this contributes to increased energy efficiency and reduced water, detergent and energy consumption. This technology and its application have been awarded and financially supported through the Innovation Fund programs, as well as through direct private sector investments in commercialization. The proprietary technology is exclusively licensed to the company Dr. Knight DOO with headquarters in Serbia and Montenegro, thus providing a clear legal basis for the commercialization of a protected invention, which contributes to the growth of market potential, opening opportunities for strategic partnerships and expanding business to foreign markets through technology transfer.
The WIPO National Award for Enterprises, in the category for a domestic legal entity or domestic entrepreneur for the commercial application of industrial property went to the Ana Petrović Education Centre doo from Belgrade, owned by Ana Petrović. The Education Center actively applies registered industrial property rights in its commercial, educational and research work. The invention entitled “Dietary composition for use in reducing increased body weight” is protected by patent number 63407, which is the result of many years of empirical work at the Ana Petrović Nutritional Studio. The effectiveness of this concept, based on the cyclical rotation of fats, proteins and carbohydrates, has been confirmed in more than 400,000 patents, with proven effects on improving cardiometabolic parameters and preventing chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension. The trademark (apple and orange) under the number 78323 has contributed to the creation of a recognizable brand, whose visual identity symbolizes the unity of science and nature. Under this trademark, the Education Center successfully markets educational programs, as well as specialized products My Tea, My Bread and My Spice. In addition, the book “The Key to Health”, authored by Ana Petrović, serves as a guide to healthy living and contributes to building trust and brand authority. During 2025, the primary goal of the Education center was to develop MY Nutrico digital platform, an innovative personalized nutrition ecosystem that integrates a patented dietary composition and a trademark. The platform uses artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, in cooperation with experts in the fields of information and communication technologies, pharmacy and medicine. This platform is expected to contribute to the digitalization of health care services, the employment of young professionals and the improvement of productivity in the health and nutrition sectors. Successful commercialization of services and products on the domestic market is a strong incentive for expansion into the European and international markets, where interest is personalized and digitalized healthcare is particularly strong. In the coming period, expansion into foreign markets is planned, namely: the USA, Germany, Austria, the United Arab Emirates and China, which will enable Serbia to position itself as a regional leader in the field of nutritional innovations.
The National Award for Creativity, in the category for the author of a monographic work /study exhibition with a catalogue in the field of social and human sciences, went to the authors of the exhibition “Guardians of Innovation – One Hundred Years of the First Serbian Patent”. Dušan Petrović and Saša Šepec. This exhibition, for the first time, presented to the public models and mock-ups of more than 20 inventions by ordinary people-craftsmen, industrialists and scientists from the period after the First World War, whose patents were registered in the first years of the work of the Administration for the Protection of Industrial Property of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, founded in 1920. The exhibition not only sheds light on the economic dynamics of that time, but also strongly reminds us of the fact that innovations have always been aimed at improving the quality of life and the well-being of society. This connection is particularly evident in the tradition of brandy making, deeply rooted in the cultural identity of Serbia, as confirmed by the fact that in 2022 the process of making plum brandy in Serbia was included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Symbolically, the first registered Serbian patent was the “Rakia Making Machine”, invented by Milan Jovanović, a blacksmith from Novi Sad. In addition to this innovative cauldron, the exhibition also included a number of other significant inventions: a self-rocking cradle, a bicycle cart, a patent pen, a remote control by Mihajlo Petrović Alas, as well as an active prosthesis for disabled development by Miomir Vukobratović.
The WIPO national Award for Schoolchildren in the category of students or groups of secondary school students for invention went to Tara Koldžić, a 3rd grade student at the Fifth Belgrade Grammer School for the invention entitled :”Nanoencapsulation and controlled release of vitamin B12 from RuBisCO protein nanoparticles obtained by ultrasound -induced cold gelation”. The invention relates to a complex, or rather a system in which vitamin B12 is gradually and under control released exactly as needed. One of the significant problems in modern nutrition and pharmacy is the low stability and the poor absorption of vitamin B12, as well as the frequent deficiency of this vitamin. Vitamin B12 is extremely sensitive to light, temperature and pH values, which leads to its rapid decomposition and loss of effectiveness during storage and application. This vitamin plays a key role in the functioning of the nervous system, brain and erythrocyte synthesis. In addition, existing solutions often use synthetic polymers or materials that are not fully biodegradable, which can have negative impact on the environment. In order to overcome these limitations, an innovative technology of nanoencapsulation of vitamin B 12 in RuBisCO protein nanoparticles, obtained by ultrasound induced cold gelation, has been developed. RuBisCO protein is isolated from waste pumpkin leaves. Which allows the utilization of plant waste as valuable biomaterial. This technology ensures effective protection of Vitamin B12 from external influences, as well as the controlled release in the body , which leads to increased bioavailability and durability of the active substance. This technology has great potential in the production of food and pharmaceutical preparations, especially for vegetarians and the elderly, contributing to human health and the sustainable use of natural resources.
We congratulate the winners and thank all the participants in the Competition!
In addition to the above awards, in cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization, an award is also given for the domestic legal entity with the highest intensity of use of the international trademark registration system during 2025 – The WIPO National Award for WIPO Users. This award went to the company for trade, marketing and brokerage INPHARM CO doo Belgrade (Zemun) which had the largest number of internationally registered trademarks during 2025 compared to all domestic legal entities. The company INPHARM was founded in 2000, as a company engaged in the import and distribution of medicines, medical devices, dietary supplements and cosmetics. Soon after its foundation, the company INPHARM established long-term partnerships with the leading global pharmaceutical companies, became the general distributor of the SENI program and successfully represented the British Company VITABIOTICS for 14 years. In 2012, INPHARM developed its own dietary line and became one of the market leaders in the field of consumer health protection in Serbia. In the same year, a partnership was formed with the Sun Wave Pharma from Romania, with the two companies beginning a new chapter in their joint development. INPHARM has developed and marketed more than 40 products, and the company`s research and development focused on creating new products in line with the market demands.
The World Intellectual Property Organization Awards will be presented during the celebration of the 105th anniversary of the Intellectual Property Office on November 25, 2025.